"Well, look at what we have here."
I drawled, the smirk playing on my lips sharpened with malice.
"I thought nobles like you, Miss Snow, had enough dignity not to look like some filthy commoner.
Yet here you are, all sweaty and... disgusting."
Ariana's lips pressed into a thin line, her chin lifting as if steeling herself, but her eyes stayed downcast.
My gaze swept over her with scorn.
"Tell me, does it not disgust you?"
I continued, mock incredulity filling my tone.
"You're of noble blood, yet here you are, tainted.
Discover hidden stories at mvl
By simply touching me, you've stained me with whatever commoner germs you've picked up from mingling with them.
I can practically feel it."
Her mouth opened, perhaps to respond, but I didn't give her the chance.
Shrugging off my blazer, I looked at it with exaggerated distaste before flinging it in her face, letting the fabric drape over her like an unwelcome weight.
"That's your punishment."
I said coldly.
"Wash it.
By the end of the day, I expect it returned, pristine.
I'm not going to repeat myself, Miss Snow."
And with that, I turned, dismissing her and everyone else present, leaving the training grounds with my ego intact and my disgust unchallenged.
---
[Ding!]
The system chimed in my mind as I stepped out.
『+10 False Evil Point』
It noted with a snide message.
「Excellent! A little harshness builds a true villain's reputation!」
I rolled my eyes at the message.
I didn't need the system's encouragement to keep up the act.
The academy provided more than enough reasons to stoke the fire.
***
After Noah left the grounds, a heavy silence lingered, the students momentarily too stunned by his cruel words to react.
Ariana still stood in the same spot, holding the blazer that had been tossed at her, her face blank with a mix of surprise and embarrassment.
The students who had been in the training grounds, now with their attention captured by the scene, began murmuring among themselves.
"What a self-absorbed jerk!"
One of them muttered, pulling a towel over his shoulder.
"Yeah."
Another agreed, his expression twisted in disgust as he looked in the direction Noah had gone.
"Poor Ariana.
I'd secured a spot in the top class—the highest, reserved for those in the elite bracket of the academy.
In contrast, Class B housed Draven and some of the other skilled students, but those were just promising contenders, most still second to Class A's crowd.
Below B were C and D, the latter being for those who, frankly, barely belonged here.
The first period was Introduction to Advanced Magic.
This wasn't the beginner's show—this was a brutal, unforgiving look at the intricacies of mana manipulation, spell optimization, the core of magical theory.
It was essential to stay ahead, not just for reputation but for survival.
The real threat, though, lay in the students yet to come.
By next month, the other main characters would flood the academy as they were first year students.
Each one had strengths, potential, and a unique connection to the plot.
One in particular.
An image flared in my mind—a girl with jet-black hair, her eyes an unnerving, otherworldly shade of ruby, seeming to glow with a fierce intensity.
A chill ran down my spine.
She wasn't here yet, but she'd arrive soon enough.
The day she stepped through the academy gates, my peaceful existence would be over.
Her role was tightly intertwined with Noah's fate, and the drama she brought would make survival a nightmare.
I'd almost managed to push her from my mind... almost.
I was late.
My detour to watch Draven had cost me, but it wasn't entirely wasted.
The system never failed to remind me that I was being observed—and penalized, albeit "rewarded" by its twisted standards.
『+5 False Evil Points for tardiness』
I sighed, the familiarity of this manipulative score-keeping digging in like thorns.
I pushed open the door to Class A.
Inside, students were already seated, and all heads turned to me as I stepped in.
The eyes weren't friendly; curiosity, disdain, and a faint unease flickered across the faces.
I could almost feel their judgments settling over me.
I'd grown used to it, though I couldn't deny that it still made my skin crawl.
The system loved to issue points for standing out, so I might as well make it worth its while.
Professor Callen, a tall man with a neatly trimmed beard and sharp, discerning eyes, watched me from his position at the front of the room.
He raised an eyebrow, lips pressed together in disapproval.
Without missing a beat, he addressed the class, though his words were clearly directed at me.
"Punctuality, as the great sage Elloren once said, is not merely the act of arriving on time; it is a reflection of one's respect for the art and those who share in its pursuit."
The classroom fell silent, everyone watching to see my reaction.
I forced a smirk, hiding any hint of embarrassment as I ambled to my seat in the back, making a show of moving at a deliberately slow pace.
I could feel the professor's eyes boring into me, but I didn't hurry.
Instead, I slung my bag onto the desk and sat down, sprawling out as though I had all the time in the world.
The others continued to stare, some in annoyance, others with an open mix of curiosity and irritation.
Settling in, I leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms with a challenging smirk.
If they wanted a show, I'd give them one.
For now, though, I was content to sit back, take my seat, and let them all stew in their contempt.